Tuesday, 5 February 2013

Friendly Inspiration...

Being totally obsessed with food, I read a lot of blogs on the subject...and, as you know, there are a LOT of blogs on the subject! It's really hard to narrow them down, because I like my favourites for so many different reasons!

One that I always return to for great ideas is Choclette, at www.choclogblog.blogspot.co.uk ....based in the West Country, she writes about one of my favourite subjects (chocolate, obviously...!) and at the weekend I spotted a gorgeous looking recipe for Walnut Pastries. I won't post it here, because I'd love you to visit her yourself and take a look around. But I just had to try baking them myself...

And I'm so happy that I did! I deviated a little...as always...because I wanted them to be more of a filled cookie than a tart. So I just cut the pastry into rounds, dolloped a teaspoon of the filling on one half and placed the other on top before pressing down slightly to seal the edges. I also changed that filling, delicious though it sounded...Another great blogger is Helen at www.fussfreeflavours.com ...always full of new innovations and great ideas, Helen blogs for a living and makes it her business to have her finger on the pulse of what's new in the food world - not just baking. I had read many times of her mild obsession with Speculoos, which is a caramelised biscuit spread from the Netherlands...

But I'd never seen it for sale until last weekend. I bought it, tried it, fell in love with it and decided that it would make the perfect middle for these walnut cookies. I was sooooo right! I added a a little cinnamon to the walnut dough, which went really well with the biscuity golden flavours...

So, a fabulous new recipe thanks to two great bloggers. I'm happy to say that I've met both these writers, and they are as enthusiastic and friendly in real life as they are on the computer screen!

Whether you use speculoos - & I may have to ban myself from buying any more, as it's far too easy to keep dipping into the jar with a teaspoon! - or the milk chocolate spread that Choclette recommends...I'd urge you to try baking these lovely cookies. They keep well and would make a great present too, I think...

It's a cold but sunny afternoon here...time for a long walk before tea and more baking! Enjoy your day x

10 comments:

Those cookies you reinvented look so delicious! Inpiration is key for any cook, chef, or baker. I've never tried Speculoos and don't think I've ever seen it in stores here. Oh, how I wish we could share a cup of tea and one of those biscuits! Thanks for sharing your inspiration! Happy Tuesday! xo

Oh, thank you Rachel, how very kind of you. So pleased you liked the biscuits and how brilliant yours must be, filled as they are with Speculoos. I haven't managed to find any yet but I'm getting keener by the month to try it. Cinnamon as an addition to the pastry would make them even more delicious of course.

Those do look amazing. I made a recipe from a tv cook and filled with Nutella and were great as well. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/petite-nutella-pochettes-recipe/index.html You can also use jam, which is great too. I wish I were eating your cookies right now. Speculoos sounds too much like speculum. Just sayin'

My recipes are typically inspirations from an array of cookbooks and bloggers....it's lovely, isn't it? And you....taking your inspiration from a blogger you love and making it your own.........it has inspired ME to go and visit her beautiful blog and seek some new inspiration myself!! xoxo

About Me

I live with my gorgeous husband, Paul and our wire fox terrier, Alice, in a small country town.I have cooked professionally for 30 years (boy, does that sound OLD!) and now run Sugar Moon, an online brownie business, as well as a small wholesale bakery, which I love. In any rare spare time I'm working on my first novel and a cookbook based on my business. I love Mozart above most things, but also adore reading, movies,visiting different countries,walking Alice, eating & all things foodie as well as spending time with my beloved friends and family....I hope you enjoy my blog!